Gun smuggling charges for Markel Chiles, former U.S. judge

Chiles allegedly caught with two handguns at the U.S.-Canada border

Markel Chiles sat as a justice of the peace in Mesa, Ariz. until 2013, when he was caught shoplifting. This is a still from a U.S. police video showing their confrontation with Chiles when they went to question him about the incident. (Mesa Police)

A former Arizona judge who had to resign in disgrace was allegedly caught with two handguns at the U.S.-Canada border.

Markel Kay Chiles, 56, was arrested at the Huntingdon border crossing in British Columbia in May, allegedly carrying a pair of .22​-calibre, multi-barrelled handguns: a Texas Defender and a Cobra C22M.

Americans who fail to declare their guns appear regularly on Canadian court dockets, but few have a history like Chiles, who sat as justice of the peace in Mesa, Ariz., until last year.

In a case that shocked the town, Chiles was caught on surveillance camera stealing a $40 speaker from Wal-Mart last April.

Police went so far as to release a video of them questioning him in his office, captured on their mandatory shoulder cameras.

In the video, Chiles denies everything. He resigned last May and was fined $300 for shoplifting.

On Thursday, Chiles appeared in Abbotsford provincial court and now faces seven counts, including gun smuggling and making false statements.